Oops? ☯ Zouis Talik

Chapter Eighteen

"So raise you're hand if you're available." Natalie a host at the Today Show asked "The girls and some guys are wonder which out of the four they have a chance with."

Louis in all honestly wasn't paying attention, it had been six months since Modest! made him and Zayn sign a contract laying out ground rules as to when Zayn could come around, where Zayn was allowed and how they had to act in public. 

They both hated it but at the time Louis wanted One Direction to work to badly and Zayn wanted Louis to live his dream without worrying about what people would think of his "homosexual relationship" as Modest! put it. In the beginning it was tolerable but now it was almost unbearable. They'd go days without seeing each other even though they were in the same city and Louis could tell Zayn was reverting back in to his shell; becoming quiet, shy and nervous again. He didn't want that for him.

He was so lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard the question so when Natalie asked "Louis, you're off the market now? What lucky lady snagged you?" he smile was so forced Louis was sure her face was about to split.

He thought about just saying he'd zoned out, he thought about saying 'Oh, just some girl from home' but he couldn't form the words because we he turned to the right, behind Richard and behind Paul was Zayn staring at him with wide eyes. Louis wasn't sure what the look on Zayn's face meant but he knew he was tired of everything tired of lying tired of explaining to people that he and Zayn were just 'best mates'. So he made a decision, never breaking eye contact with Zayn.

"I'm actually dating Zayn." 

A collective gasp could be heard through the crowd but Louis on broke eye contact as he felt Liam place his arm on his shoulder giving it a tight squeeze as if telling him he was doing the right thing, looking over at Niall and Harry to see them nodding also confirmed it for him.

"Zayn Malik? Your best friend from home?" Natalie asked completely confused

"He's never been my best mate. I mean he is my best mate but he's never just been my best mate. We've been dating since I was fifteen and he was fourteen. Zayn Malik is my boyfriend." 

"Are you saying you're gay?"

"Bi-sexual, but can we move on the the next question now?"

When the interview finished Richard lectured  Louis for an hour about 'hurting the brand' and other useless bullshit he didn't care about he needed this, his boyfriend needed this and his band mates/best mates supported him and for Louis that's all the mattered.

***

After Louis and Zayn both calmed down that night, they both went upstairs stripped down to their boxers and slept together in Zayn's guest room. Louis offered to change the sheets for him but Zayn refused to sleep in that bed ever again saying he'd "rather sleep on the floor than catch whatever disease's Devin has."

***

Louis woke up the next morning to his phone playing a familiar ringtone, a ringtone he had come to despise over the years. He wanted to ignore it but he knew it wouldn't stop, especially after the recent news about Zayn. So he sighed rubbing at his eyes and walked over to the dresser on the other side of the room and swiped his thumb across the screen to answer then walked out the room quietly shutting the door.

"Hello?"

"Louis?"

"Obviously, who is it today, Richard, Brenda, Carl, Zach?"